MADRID: Former Real Madrid doctor Jesus Olmo has claimed that Wales footballer Gareth Bale is the best athlete he has seen in his life.
Olmo, who was with medical services at Santiago Bernabeu when Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was also part of the squad, believes that Bale's unusual genetics make him the best in business.
"Possibly the best athlete I've seen is Gareth Bale," Olmo told Spanish outlet Ideal.
"He's a natural athlete capable of excelling at practically any sport. He has unusual genetics and athletic ability, and I would say technical ability as well.
"He's the one who impressed me most in all aspects, although there is then performance, which comes about from different circumstances."
Bale has enjoyed a trophy-laden spell in Madrid since his record-breaking move from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013 but his relationship with the fans have soured over the years.
Since going to Spain, Bale has won a LaLiga title, one Copa del Rey and four Champions League titles. Despite such a strong resume, Bale's name doesn't get spoken in the same breath as that of former prolific forwards Ronaldo, Raul and others.
"We get a lot of pressure every game. If you don't play well, there's scrutiny," Bale recently opened up about fans' scrutiny on US golf podcast The Erik Anders Lang Show.
"I've had 80,000 people in a stadium whistle at me because I haven't played well. I've had it a few times! It's not nice and it doesn't do your confidence any good either." IANS